2¢ Black, Atherton Shift, Major Double Transfer of Top Left Corner and "Postage" (73 variety), horizontal strip of three, left stamp clearly showing the dramatic double transfer at top, tied by target cancels and "Warrenton Va. May 13" (1867) circular datestamp on attorney corner card cover to Philadelphia, receipt docketing at left

Very Fine appearance; accompanying certificate notes the Atherton Shift stamp has small corner crease at bottom left, which is utterly negligible--right stamp light crease and small sealed cover tear at top (these issues not noted on certificate).

A spectacular example of the rare Atherton Shift--the most pronounced double transfer of the Black Jack Issue and, in fact, of any classic postage issue printed by the National Bank Note Company. We have encountered only two covers bearing this dramatic variety, and this is by far the finer of the two.

According to the Allen book, the Atherton Shift got its name from Stanley B. Ashbrook, who first discovered it in the summer of 1923 in the collection of H. P. Atherton. Concerning this double transfer, Ashbrook wrote: "Here we have one of the most remarkable double transfers on U. S. stamps that I have ever seen. I have for years classed the One Cent 1851, Type II, 89R2, as the No. 1 among remarkable examples of this variety and in my opinion this 2¢ Black Jack could well rank as No. 2. Perhaps some would even rank it equal to the 1¢..." He stated further that it was his opinion, supported by other authorities whom he had consulted, that the variety must surely have come from an early or first condition of one of the plates, and that later it had been burnished out and a fresh entry made. The fact that every line in the Atherton Shift "is razor sharp" led him to conclude that the plate from which it came was very new.

This cover has been a highlight of important Black Jack collections, including those formed by Anthony Russo and Steven Metzger. When the Metzger collection was sold this was described as the only on-cover example of the Atherton Shift known. We subsequently sold a cover in the Bernard Faust collection with the Atherton Shift (Sale 1181, lot 1105), but the stamp on that cover has been repaired, with the bottom portion of the design replaced. This is by far the finer of the two covers we have encountered.

Ex Judge Robert S. Emerson, Anthony Russo and Steven Metzger. With 2003 P.F. certificate.

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